Church Interiors: Sacred Space
The interior design of a church reflects its theology and liturgical style. Most Protestant churches are quite plain and have rows of seats facing a pulpit in the front as their main features.
It is from the pulpit, a raised lectern, that the pastor or minister delivers the weekly sermon. Because Protestants emphasize scripture over sacraments, the pulpit generally has a more prominent position than the altar. Protestant churches make sparing use of decorative effects. There may be candles on the altar and a cross displayed on the wall, but little more. The intention behind this simplicity is to create an environment without distractions in which worshipers can meet God in prayer and in the reading and exposition of scripture.
The design and decor of this small Protestant church are simple. The attention of the congregation is directed toward the pulpit, from which the pastor delivers a sermon based on the scriptures.
Roman Catholic churches are more elaborate. Because Catholicism emphasizes the sacraments, and the Eucharist in particular, it is the altar rather than the pulpit that stands out from the worshiper’s perspective. Religious paintings and statues of saints are commonly found, as are crucifixes, or images of Christ on the cross. To the side of some churches is a stand supporting rows of votive candles set in colored glass. When music is added to these physical features of the church, the senses are filled with sights and sounds meant to lift the mind and heart to God.
Like all Roman Catholic churches, this church in St. Maarten in the Netherlands Antilles gives the most
prominent place to the altar, where the Eucharist is celebrated. The priest’s homily, or sermon, is delivered from a pulpit set to the side. Images of the saints that Catholics venerate can be seen along the walls.
This approach to creating a sacred space is even more pronounced in Orthodox churches, whose design and decoration give worshipers a sense of entering into the heavenly presence of God. The main body of the Orthodox church is separated from the sanctuary in the front by a screen, called an iconostasis (“icon stand”), covered with painted images of Christ and the saints. Icons fill the rest of the church as well, reminding worshipers that they belong to a spiritual communion that includes the whole company of heaven. Even the magnificent domes atop Orthodox churches display iconic murals of Christ and the saints. But the main focus of attention is the sanctuary, which can be glimpsed through several doors that provide access to the priest and his assistants. It is in this sacred space that the mystery of the Eucharist is celebrated, with chanting and incense that reveal in the material world the realities of the spiritual realm.